Where are all the plushes?

[CMPJETCMP]

I mean - I get that it stinks and I'll experience it first-hand and might change my mind in a couple of weeks ... but you also mentioned your company doesn't have the luxury of holding off. And there's literally no merchandise at WDW that isn't just pure luxury. None of it is necessary. So why should they use their resources in that way? I'm having a hard time getting masks to protect against getting sick in a relatively timely fashion (2 weeks at best - 6 weeks for the most recommended option). I'd much rather the world focus on the more day-to-day and/or necessity items (including making room for whatever your business is) than a stuffed animal or ceramic coffee mug (since apparently there were other types of beverage containers but not the exact kind for which you're looking).

I guess my point is there are other major companies that did not sit back and allow shipping delays to affect their business. (https://www.forbes.com/sites/sanfor...y-chartering-their-own-ships/?sh=4c0049166c4f)

It is not that essential items are not making it to the US due to shipping delays. It is my experience that companies who’s business it is to sell merchandise figure out how to sell it or don’t. I guess Disney doesn’t. Eventually the shareholders will decide if that business decision is sound.

I wouldn’t have purchased a plushie or a ceramic mug. I was there with my wife and 19 year old daughter. We are past that stage in life. A 50th anniversary t-shirt would have been nice or 2022 for that matter.

As for Shop Disney that is another problem I didn’t want to get into but I will. Who knows what they really have in stock? Am I the only one who filters for women’s clothing and gets dog clothes interspersed with my selection? After years of poor filtering I have given up on that site ever improving.

 

[rdaky]

I agree. I have always followed the philosophy that if you see something you want at Disney, buy it when you see it or it may be gone. That would go double for me right now, with all the supply issues. I think it would be better to return something for a refund if you decide you want a different item, than to have your heart set on something and it’s sold out when you return.

Yes! And even as a local who is very aware of the merchandise situation. I have made that mistake myself, thinking that I'll get something the next time. If you see it and really want it, buy it now. There is no guarantee that it will even be there in an hour.

 

[accm]

We were there over Wine and Dine weekend, and looked everywhere for a Donald plushie for our son with no luck. We’ll be there again in 2 weeks, and will hopefully be able to find him.

As to Disney paying to air ship items, people already complain that items are too expensive. They’d be pissed if the items were even more expensive. Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if they’re already doing that with some items. I really wanted a Christmas sweater when I was down there, but at almost $100, I couldn’t justify it. It was expensive even by Disney standards.

 

[rdaky]

I guess my point is there are other major companies that did not sit back and allow shipping delays to affect their business. (https://www.forbes.com/sites/sanfor...y-chartering-their-own-ships/?sh=4c0049166c4f)

I'm local. The toy aisles at some of the local stores are equally as bare. Grocery stores are struggling with supply, too. I don't know if Disney could or could not have prevented any of the shortage. I think it's mostly out of their control, because in the end Disney wants to sell products. I do know that I have zero sympathy for sensational crying or going off on cast members (which happens ALL THE TIME) over a stuffed animal or t-shirts that are not available in a specific size. Especially when the entire State of Florida seems to have Covid right now.

 

[accm]

I'm local. The toy aisles at some of the local stores are equally as bare. Grocery stores are struggling with supply, too. I don't know if Disney could or could not have prevented any of the shortage. I think it's mostly out of their control, because in the end Disney wants to sell products. I do know that I have zero sympathy for sensational crying or going off on cast members (which happens ALL THE TIME) over a stuffed animal or t-shirts that are not available in a specific size. Especially when the entire State of Florida seems to have Covid right now.

Regardless of COVID. CMs have about as much control over stock as we as guests do. So crying/going off on them is going to accomplish nothing other than make you (general you, not you specifically) look like an *******

 

[bsmcneil]

I guess my point is there are other major companies that did not sit back and allow shipping delays to affect their business. (https://www.forbes.com/sites/sanfor...y-chartering-their-own-ships/?sh=4c0049166c4f)

It is not that essential items are not making it to the US due to shipping delays. It is my experience that companies who’s business it is to sell merchandise figure out how to sell it or don’t. I guess Disney doesn’t. Eventually the shareholders will decide if that business decision is sound.

I wouldn’t have purchased a plushie or a ceramic mug. I was there with my wife and 19 year old daughter. We are past that stage in life. A 50th anniversary t-shirt would have been nice or 2022 for that matter.

As for Shop Disney that is another problem I didn’t want to get into but I will. Who knows what they really have in stock? Am I the only one who filters for women’s clothing and gets dog clothes interspersed with my selection? After years of poor filtering I have given up on that site ever improving.

Costco's business is selling merchandise. They wouldn't have a business without it, would they?. Disney's is not. Their business is media and the things they do are in service of that (which is why merchandising makes sense and why IP in parks never bothers me - why wouldn't they advance their media goals?!). Why waste the resources on an (apparently) marginal part of their business? I mean, I hate it - it's obnoxious. I'm prepared to be frustrated that I budgeted for souvenirs and bought gift cards for souvenirs ... and so what? Having some perspective is useful, I think.

 

[SteveH]

Costco's business is selling merchandise. They wouldn't have a business without it, would they?. Disney's is not...

Yes and even Costco was short on some items, a lot of their Christmas items were short on stock and looking up on the shelves that I wasn't used to seeing empty too.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

I guess my point is there are other major companies that did not sit back and allow shipping delays to affect their business. (https://www.forbes.com/sites/sanfor...y-chartering-their-own-ships/?sh=4c0049166c4f)

It is not that essential items are not making it to the US due to shipping delays. It is my experience that companies who’s business it is to sell merchandise figure out how to sell it or don’t. I guess Disney doesn’t. Eventually the shareholders will decide if that business decision is sound.

I wouldn’t have purchased a plushie or a ceramic mug. I was there with my wife and 19 year old daughter. We are past that stage in life. A 50th anniversary t-shirt would have been nice or 2022 for that matter.

As for Shop Disney that is another problem I didn’t want to get into but I will. Who knows what they really have in stock? Am I the only one who filters for women’s clothing and gets dog clothes interspersed with my selection? After years of poor filtering I have given up on that site ever improving.

Have you been in a store in the past 6 months? Almost every single brick and mortar store have bare spots on shelves due to shipping issues. Disney is not alone. No idea if they are sitting back and allowing shipping delays but they are impacted by them and it is affecting business. Heck, we couldn't find Frito Scoops recently, not at one single store in town. And they make them here!

I was there both in Oct for the 50th and Christmas NYE week and there were 50th shirts a plenty. Positively saw many in Creations at Epcot and World of Disney both.

 

[jpeterson]

I'm back from my trip and ended up not getting them any. I saw a few of the blanket babies, but they have several of those already and there were none they would be interested in.
I'll confirm what some others said, I saw lots of 2021 merch, christmas merch, leftover summer merch, F&W merch. But most of the current merchandise was pretty picked over. A common thing I saw was for shirts to have XS or XXXL and nothing in between.

Just a heads up for anyone heading down there. Definitely grab it if you see it, don't wait.

 

[tup1830]

Oddly, i promised my kids to pick a toy from the disney store in disney springs...walked out of there with nothing. The options were visually depressing and the kids didn't want anything they had. Walked over to the toy store and they removed fixtures because they didn't have toys to put on the shelves.

2021...the year that didn't have anything my kids wanted (and saved me a few hundred dollars)!!!! Lets hope for continued supply chain issues

 

[ppony]

I agree. I have always followed the philosophy that if you see something you want at Disney, buy it when you see it or it may be gone. That would go double for me right now, with all the supply issues. I think it would be better to return something for a refund if you decide you want a different item, than to have your heart set on something and it’s sold out when you return.

AMEN! If there's anything seasoned goers learn, if you find something you like, get it THEN. You may not see it again. In fact, chances are better than average, even in homogeneous WDW, you won't see it again.

 

[Tyler's Dad]

People comparing Disney not getting supplies to other businesses are shortsighted. Do you know how much supply it would take of a single item to stock all of the stores at Disney World? Now imagine 100 items. You don't fly that much in. It would take multiple containers full of merchandise to even make a dent in the holiday demand and you would still need more for after it was over.

Disney wants to sell merchandise. There is a reason there is a retail store everywhere you turn at the parks. The markup on merchandise there is huge and the loss of revenue is absolutely obvious to me. Do you honestly think that was done by choice or that they had the ability to get it there a different way and chose not to? Take your personal disappointment or judgement out of it and ask what's more likely, they could get it there with a little extra effort, but chose not to or that they did what they could, but there was no way to make it work and they had to do whatever they could to get by?

 

[Mrs.AMC]

One of the most baffling to me is the lack of WDW 2022 Merch. DL has it. They have always done the designs between the 2 parks, just put DL on some and WDW on others. I can't understand why they've gotten a factory to do DL Merch and the same factory didn't have the same set up to print WDW on it too.

 

[Tyler's Dad]

One of the most baffling to me is the lack of WDW 2022 Merch. DL has it. They have always done the designs between the 2 parks, just put DL on some and WDW on others. I can't understand why they've gotten a factory to do DL Merch and the same factory didn't have the same set up to print WDW on it too.

Well, one park is straight over the water from their manufacturers and the other still requires shipping from one side of the country to the other. From what people are reporting, Christmas stuff arrived at WDW in January, so I would imagine they are tracking a month or so behind right now.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

Well, one park is straight over the water from their manufacturers and the other still requires shipping from one side of the country to the other. From what people are reporting, Christmas stuff arrived at WDW in January, so I would imagine they are tracking a month or so behind right now.

And they showed up in DL several weeks ago.
Some Christmas stuff showed in January. There was LOTS there in December. Very little new stuff Christmas stuff came in Jan.

 

[soniam]

And they showed up in DL several weeks ago.
Some Christmas stuff showed in January. There was LOTS there in December. Very little new stuff Christmas stuff came in Jan.

We even saw xmas stuff at Thanksgiving. Not as much as usual though. Plus, it was frickin cold, so a bunch of the warmer clothing was bought up.

 

[kydisneyfans]

I visited DS just before Christmas. Bought nothing. WOD was half full and it was obvious they were stretching merchandise to make the place look full. I got my son's family on the phone with the list of things they wanted for Christmas, they had none of it. I did get a few things through Shopdisney as I was on the bus back to the resort. No mugs were found anywhere. I then went to the Cincinnati Premium Outlets Disney store on New Years Eve and found a motherload of items, most 75% off. Lots of Halloween and Christmas items from 2021. They had more than the WOD in stock.

 

[DodgerGirl]

When you look at the general picture I think the reason why the plushies are selling out fast at Disney Parks is because every year there are hot Disney movies and Disney cartoons and Marvel movies released during Thanksgiving and Christmas and when the films and cartoons hit the theater and make their TV debut the toys usually sell out. Take for instance when Marvel released Guardians Of The Galaxy plush Rockets and Groots came out and when Christmas 2019 debuted it was impossible to find a plush Groot and I really wanted one but if you find any plushies of Groot it's the shoulder plush version of Groot that is sold and you cannot even find any Rocket plushies anywhere. The same thing happened with Shang Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings when it came out Morris plushies were all the rage and even now you can't find Morris plushies today. And it repeated with Encanto and the Mirabel plush doll I have is one of the sought after Disney dolls and you can't even find the other Encanto plush animals too. And when Spidey And His Amazing Friends debuted on Disney Junior Spidey plushies are easy to find but not Gwen or Miles Morales plushies as they have become scarce. And Marvel did the same thing with Eternals and you will never ever see a plush Ikaris or Sersi anywhere and Ikaris everything is hard to find. I think finding Disney plushies will be like Turboman was in Jingle All The Way and by Valentine's Day plushies will be easy to find because people give plushies as Valentine's Day gifts every year

 

[KTwiegs]

anyone noticed the plush/creature situation at the special "animal" store in galaxy's edge?
its my sons favorite store. we will be down in 18 days

 

[Tyler's Dad]

anyone noticed the plush/creature situation at the special "animal" store in galaxy's edge?
its my sons favorite store. we will be down in 18 days

They had a decent amount of stock in all of those while we were there. I was in there with my nephew and there were quite a few creature to pick from.